Insulating-shield for metallic poles



(No Model.)

W. J. BRALEY. INSULATING SHIELD FOR METALLIC PQLES. No. 542,675.Patented July 16,1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM J. BRALEY, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

INSULATING-SHIELD FOR METALLIC POLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 542,675, dated July16, 1895.

Application filed April 17, 1895. Serial No. 546,070- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it 71mg concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BRALEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inInsulating- Shields for Metallic Poles; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to overhead systems of electrical distribution, andits object is to prevent accidents by persons or animals coming incontact with the poles which support the conductors. It has frequentlyhappened that the currents of electricity in the conductors ofelectric-light and railway systems have become grounded through themetallic poles supporting them, or that a light or railway circuit hasbecome crossed with a telephone or telegraph circuit, short-circuitingthe former and causing a heavy current of electricity to flow down tothe metallic poles of the telephone or telegraph line. Under thesecircumstances it is exceedingly dangerous for a person oran animal totouch one of the poles, since he is subjected to a severe electricalshock which sometimes proves fatal.

My invention aims to prevent such a serious consequence of an accidentalor unwitting contact with a pole so charged. It consists in a shield orjacket of insulating material surrounding the pole up to the height ofseveral feet, so that the pole is entirely incased and all contact withit is completely prevented, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an electric-lightpole provided with myshield, the latter being partly broken away. Fig. 2is cross-section. Fig. 3 is the upper portion of the shield, showing thewire wrapping and the cap. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cap. Figs. 5 and6 are cross-sections of modified constructions.

The shield or jacket A is made of any suitable insulating material,preferably wood. It may be made in one piece, as shown in Fig. 6; but ispreferably composed of any suitable number of longitudinal sections orsegments a, preferably curved, so that when assembled edge to edge, likethe staves of a barrel, they form a cylindrical or polygonal tube. Theadjoining edges of the sections are united, preferably by afeather-joint, as shown in Fig. 2, though a tongue-and-groove joint maybe used, as'shown in Fig. 5. The sections having been assembled, theyare wound at inter vals with wire B. After its ends have been securedthe turns of wire are soldered together to make a solid metallic band orhoop. Of course the wire wrapping is unnecessary with the integralshield shown in Fig. (5.

The top of the shield is covered with a cap 0, which is made in halves,as shown in Fig. f, so as to be easily applied to the pole D. The cap israbbeted to fit into the end of the shield.

The foot of the shield rests on the pavement E and may be surroundedwith a molding a, if desired.

The inner diameter of the shield is preferably larger than the externaldiameter of the pole, so as to leave an air-space between them, asshown, though this is not essential.

The shield forms an imperforate casing for the metallic pole up to theheight preferably of seven or eight feet, so that under no circumstancescan a person or animal come in contact with the pole. There is thus nodanger of receiving a shock in case the electric current has becomegrounded through the pole. The insulating effect of the jacket isenhanced by the air-space between thejacket and the pole.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patout, is-

1. A shield fora metallic pole consisting of stave like sections ofinsulating material, assembled in the form of a tube adapted to surroundsaid pole, and held together by a wrapping of wire, or the like,substantially as described.

2. A shield for a metallic pole, consisting of sections of longitudinalinsulating material having their edges jointed together to form a tube,and bands of wire wrapped around said tube, substantially-as described.7

3. A shield for a metallic pole, consisting of sections of insulatingmaterial placed together to form a tube, and bands of wire Wrappedaround said tube at intervals, the turns of the wire being solderedtogether, substantially as described.

4. The combination witha metallic pole, of an insulating shield orjacket surrounding the lower portion thereof, with an air space betweenthe pole and the jacket, substantially as described.

5. Thecombination with a metallic pole; of an insulating shield orjacket surrounding

